Townsend Atelier will host the debut of a traveling exhibit called Together: A Portrait of Americans by Chattanooga Artist David Michael Salerno. The exhibit features 40 portrait paintings of individuals in the Chattanooga community.
Mr. Salerno worked on painting the portraits for the past two years.
The public is invited to the opening reception this Friday from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
The exhibition will be on view through July and is then scheduled to travel to eight other venues throughout the United States.
Officials said, "Mr. Salerno began painting these portraits as a personal response to the current discord in our country that is threatening our democracy."
Mr. Salerno said, "The purpose of these oil paintings is to illustrate our shared humanity and to encourage more civil and constructive interaction. To obtain a diverse group of volunteers to sit for the portraits, I recruited from ten different religions in Chattanooga; not to compare religions, but to show our similarities as humans. Participants volunteered to be a part of this project because they are also concerned with current discord in our country and want to demonstrate that our similarities override our differences."
The exhibition will be on view through July 28, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment by calling 423-266-2712.
Townsend Atelier is located at The Arts Building, 301 E. 11th St. in Chattanooga and is open to the public free of charge.